I remember coming out to one of my close friends not too long after I figured it out...and her response was, "Yeah, I figured." And I said, "I sure the hell wish you had told ME!!!"

Tiger

I had a close male friend who for years never expressed any sexual thought for anyone. I assumed, since he was religiously Catholic, that he was gay and repressing it. Ten years later he made the "big announcement" that he was gay and my response was the same as above . . . I know, I figured that years ago. He said the same thing--he wished I'd have told him!

My sister was always trying to get me to come out, how it was ok and introducing me to her gay friends at work and meeting me at gay bars etc, but it was just hell, I was so embarrassed, she meant well, but I wasn't ready and I didn't like her version of the gay world or her gay friends, I mean later some of them did become friends but at the time they seemed to be living in a different planet like I was in Kansas and they were in Oz, and I thought at the time that I'd rather just die a lonely bachelor than live like that, but eventually I did come out, but it was a long, long difficult process and I probably made every mistake possible, including getting into a really bad relationship a month after I came out etc, but I'm sure you've all heard the horror stories or lived them yourselves. When I did come out, I came out, and went through a militant phase etc, but time has mellowed me, and now I simply don't care about anyones sexuality whether you be a heterosexual cross-dresser who likes to dress as Doris Day or whatever, the spectrum is vast and varied, and too complicated to pigeon hole.

I had a close male friend who for years never expressed any sexual thought for anyone. I assumed, since he was religiously Catholic, that he was gay and repressing it. Ten years later he made the "big announcement" that he was gay and my response was the same as above . . . I know, I figured that years ago. He said the same thing--he wished I'd have told him!

You know whats funny though.. I had people telling me for years.. it's not so much actually telling someone "hey.. buddy.. you do realise you're gay right?", it's more of an introduction to gay people that was necessary.. atleast for me. It wasn't until I met someone that was gay that it started to feel ok to feel that way. Up until that point, all I ever heard was "Matthew.. you know it's ok to be gay right?" and I was like.. "shut up! I'm straight!".. I so wish I had come out YEARS before I finally did.. but hey.. everyone says that.